Cloud Security and How to Keep Your Data Private

In today’s world of hacking and phishing, cloud security and keeping your data safe have become crucial for both businesses and personal users. In addition, it can’t go unnoticed that the cloud has become a place where everyone meets and exchanges information. However, with every type of cloud computing platform having its own unique set of challenges and security concerns, strengthening your protection with additional security measures has become necessary.

Although cloud security is great in some ways, it’s not infallible. The reality is that hackers can still access the files stored in the cloud. With that being said, one of the biggest risks regarding storing data in the cloud is privacy.

While many cloud computing platforms such as Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and Amazon Web Services will offer you many security settings, configuring them correctly is key. Some of the main factors that allure people into confiding their vulnerable data to these platforms are:

1. Flexibility
2. Accessibility
3. Scalability

Generally, the biggest mistake you can make is to think that the cloud provider is responsible for your data. In reality, cloud providers are only there to ensure that the software and hardware services they provide are secure. At the same time, a consumer remains responsible for the security of their data assets.

One of the best things you can do to protect your privacy when connecting to cloud storage is to use Le VPN. VPN creates a secure tunnel that will keep you away from any harm and breach, which will make you feel a lot safer.

The Stronger the Password – the Stronger the Protection

It’s estimated that over 75 percent of cyberattacks are due to weak passwords, which means that you must be extra careful when making yours. A strong password is a key to preventing your delegate information from being hacked into.

In general, you should not use a password shorter than eight characters. Additionally, it would be best if you tried to avoid using information such as your birthday, your name, or the names of people close to you since they are easier to hack.

Ideally, your password should contain both upper and lowercase letters and some symbols and numbers. These are proven to be the most unhackable to breach into. However, since this is about the important information we’re talking about, make sure to update your passwords regularly for that extra security.

Extra Layer of Security with Two-Factor Authentication

As most of you know, the days of being able to secure your account with only your username and password are long gone. With that being said, you should always look to provide that extra layer of security. One of the extra layers of security you should consider adding is the good old two-factor authentication.

Generally, two-factor authentication is based on something you have, something you know, or something you are. So the simplest and most commonly used and offered way of setting up that extra layer of security is with something you “know” verification.

This means that you will be asked a personal question to which only you and/or your closest ones know the answer. The questions typically range from “what was the name of your first dog?” to “Where did your parents meet?”. These questions are usually ones that hackers can’t research to find the answer to; hence the chances of your account getting hacked are put to a minimum.

The second most common way of a two-factor authentication process is with something you ”have.” Since today almost everybody owns a smartphone that they carry around everywhere they go, verifying your identity by receiving a one-time code through SMS has become one of the most popular methods for two-factor authentication.

Finally, the something you “are” method is based on biometrics, such as face recognition, fingerprint, or voice recognition. This method of verification is the least used of all.

Encrypt your Data Before it Hits the Cloud

In today’s day and age, many cloud services are at our disposal, but the truth is that the majority do not offer end-to-end encryption, at least not by default. As a result, while the connection between the server and your device is usually secure, the data stored on the server is not.

Whether you are the type of person who claims they have nothing to hide or you are an extra private and precocious person, it’s always good to use protection on the internet. However, one thing is certain; it’s not getting any safer out there.

Encrypting your data before sending it to the cloud will give you that extra layer of protection. And the best thing is that you don’t have to be a mastermind to perform this step.

Encryption software is typically easy to use, and even if you don’t want to pay for it, there are plenty of free encryption tools out there. At the end of the day, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

A VPN Will Save You So Much Headache

Although cloud computing and VPN are at their core two different things, they are equally important if the safety of your data is a concern. VPN creates a secure path that will keep away any breach when connecting to cloud storage, hence why its use is highly recommended.

There are various kinds of VPN providers out there, and every one of them comes with a set of advantages and disadvantages and a unique price.

In the end, VPN providers such as Le VPN are there to keep you safe and secure online, which is why it’s not something you should cheap out on.